Love Games
by SHOZO
Summary: In which Sakura tries to make Sasuke jealous by appearing to fall madly in love with Rock Lee. Six months into it, she has a ring on her finger but she isn't getting married to Sasuke. The plan has backfired and she has nobody to blame but herself. Will she have the strength to call off the wedding, and confess her feelings, for the second time,to her seemingly indifferent teammate
1. Prologue

**- PROLOGUE -**

I can't remember _why_ I first fell in love with Sasuke.

Was it his hair? Was it his reserve? Was it his incredibly sad background?

I don't know- but I do remember _when_ I feel in love with him. The exact moment is etched into my memory as clear as yesterday.

It was the first day of school, and I had just enrolled into the Academy; I didn't know very many people, nor was I sure of how long I would attend the school (my parents weren't really interested in paying private tuition fees) but I knew of Sasuke by reputation. I heard the other girls whispering about him in the halls, and the teachers gossiping about the tragic death of his family while they supervised the playground during lunch.

There seemed to be only 3 things that anybody needed to know.

The first was that he was an Uchiha.

The second was that his eldest brother had murdered his entire clan. Single handedly.

The third was that he was the "Number 1 Rookie" of the year. A child prodigy to most, a genius to others.

I remember sitting in the back of the classroom, a headband tied tightly around my bangs to hide by most embarrassing physical feature (a forehead that my mother likened to a plank), my face buried in my spelling book when all the chatter in the classroom suddenly stopped. I peered over my book, thinking that our new teacher had walked in only to see a pale boy with dark, spiky hair.

Even at that age, he was devastatingly handsome.

What struck me most about him though, were his eyes. They were dark, and held a faintly disdainful expression.

I blushed deeply when he took a seat on the table beside me, the envy of all the other girls. One in particular, a pretty blonde, called out to him, "Sasuke-kun, why are you sitting there? I saved a seat for you!"

She never got a response.

I remember wondering whether he was shy. It didn't take me long to discover that Sasuke was not shy, but rather reserved with his words. That has never changed.

Now at twenty-two, he's still the same Sasuke. Introverted, strong, bright, and an exceptional ninja.

Oh, and I am still very much in love with him. More so than ever.

The problem?

I'm getting married to someone else in a month.

Now I know what you're thinking: if she's so madly in love with Sasuke why is she marrying someone else? Good question. The truth is I made the terrible decision of following the advice of my best friend, Ino.

She told me Sasuke was absolutely crazy about me but just hadn't realized it yet.

"You need to start seeing someone, Sakura. Then he'll realize what a fool he's been all these years, and spend day and night trying to woe you back to him."

I should have known better than to think Sasuke was the wooing kind. He isn't, you know. He hasn't got a romantic bone in his body. Sure he seemed to be extremely irritated by my blossoming relationship with Rock Lee- but he has never once tried to get in the way.

If I have to end a training session early for a date with Lee, he wordlessly packs up and heads home. If Lee kisses my cheek in front of him, he never bats any eyelash. And then, when I casually mentioned over lunch with a group of our teammates that Lee and I were looking for an apartment together, he just got up and left.

The next thing I hear about him is that he was going off on a yearlong reconnaissance project. A project, which, he _volunteered_ for.

Now I ask you, does that sound like the actions of a jealous man?

Then to add insult to injury, I heard from my best friend Ino, who had it from her boyfriend Shikamaru who lives beside Sasuke's apartment complex, that he spent his last night in town with Tamari.

_Tamari_.

A visiting dignitary from another village. Why her? Why not someone from Konoha?

Why not me?

What's wrong with me?

He's been gone for six whole months now; six very long months.

I've tried to take advantage of the distance. I've focused on making my relationship with Lee work. He's such a sweet, kind, and considerate person- so different from Sasuke. He loves me, and works hard to make sure I'm comfortable.

Lee is the kind of boyfriend who remembers anniversaries, who brings you flowers for no reason, the kind whom your parents' adore- and he's loved me all my life.

Why can't I be happy with him?

So partly because I felt guilty for using him to get to Sasuke, and partly because of how great he is I've continued seeing Lee. I didn't really consider how seriously he felt about our relationship, until tonight when he asked me to marry him in front of my entire family.

Everyone had tears in their eyes, and looked so happy for me.

I couldn't tell him no, not in front of them; how could I humiliate him like that when he's been so kind to me? So instead I slipped the princess cut solitaire diamond onto my ring finger, and said yes.

What else could I have said?

'Sorry, I'm still in love with my childhood crush' wouldn't really have worked.

And he was beaming. I could tell that I had made him extremely happy.

Now in the comfort of my own bedroom, away from prying eyes I can't help but feel numb. In the morning, I'm going to have to explain to my friends that I am happy to be marrying the wrong guy, and I am going to have to show the ring off as though I'm excited for the future.

I feel disgusted with myself for taking things this far, but it's too late now. There really is no turning back.

As for Sasuke- well, that was never really an option was it?

But I can't think of that now. If I think of that I'll cry and wake up with puffy eyes and people will ask questions. So instead, I turn over, shut my eyes and hope for sleep. Things have gone horribly wrong, but I am just going to have to live with my mistakes.

The one comforting thought I have then is that I wouldn't have to tell Sasuke myself. By the time he got back in town, I would have been married for several weeks. He wouldn't ask questions, and I wouldn't have to offer any explanations or suffer through showing him my engagement ring and sending a wedding invite.

Little did I know that he was to return to Konohagakure the following morning, his mission having been completed earlier than expected.

I thought foolishly that my engagement was the end of our story (and very likely the end of my life!)- but it was really just the beginning.

**- TO BE CONTINUED -**

**(A/N: I've been gone for a while haven't I? If you're interested in the rest of this story, review and I'll upload the first chapter within the next couple of hours!)**


	2. Chapter 1

- Chapter One-

At the tender age of twenty-two, Uchiha Sasuke was a young man who could only be described as determined. What he wanted, he would work hard to get- no matter what the odds. It was a characteristic of his that outsiders admired, but his friends (the very few friends he had) found incredibly annoying. After all, it was that determination which led him to leave Konoha as an adolescent, set on avenging his clan's murder.

Nowadays, his goals were a lot simpler than destroying the village he grew up in and leading a ramshackle life as a missing-nin.

What he wanted now was a quiet life.

That was why he didn't complain when he was kept on probation for two whole years after returning to Konoha, and that was why his temper didn't flare up three short months ago when he was taken off probation only to be told he would not be reinstated as a high-ranking ninja. Instead, the village elders had decided to try and keep him 'humble'; they wanted the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan to participate in genin-level missions. He was sent out endlessly on D-rank assignments, accompanied by a jounin as though he were a novice that needed supervision. Most of the jobs he had completed recently consisted of manual labor, but he was an expert at making the best of a bad situation.

It was just one such assignment that he had returned from the previous day. This time, he had taken his time completing the work. His real purpose in volunteering for the job had been to avoid a certain pink-haired kunoichi.

Sure, wasting his energy on useless tasks until his village was able to trust him was never enough to test his temper…but Sakura was another story completely. The girl really knew how to push all his buttons.

More than anyone, he knew she didn't owe him anything.

How could she, when _he_ had abandoned _her_?

But she had pledged her life to him, many years ago- and he knew how to care for what was his.

That was why her current relationship with Rock Lee was difficult for him to digest. What was her purpose? To make him jealous? To prove a point? Whatever it was, he was almost at his wits end when he volunteered for an assignment in Rain Country. It was the best decision to make, especially if he didn't want to violate his delicate position with Konoha's mistrusting elders.

They were still afraid of him.

He had killed one of them after all.

Smirking at the thought, the young man leaned his head back, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze in the warm sunshine. He was spending his first day back in town working alone in his clan's deserted compound. Part of his restoration plan including the tiny sub village that had been completely ruined years ago, when his brother murdered their family. During his absence, the traditional Japanese style home had fallen into further decay and bringing everything back to its former state would cost a fortune.

Luckily, Uchiha Sasuke was a man of considerable means. He could afford to buy new tatami flooring for the _washitsu_ rooms in each house, _shoji_ draperies, polished hardwood for the remaining rooms, replace the _sogen_ pond with the moss gardens landscaped to flow naturally with the forest surrounding; however, he would never entrust anyone other than himself with the task of carrying out the work.

That was why he was here today.

On a quiet Sunday morning when the rest of the village was in bed or lounging over an early breakfast, Sasuke was here alone and had been for hours.

He had brought back a few cans of paint, to refresh the coloring on the second pair of stone gates leading into a courtyard at the front of the compound. He could remember running through this exact set of gates as a young boy, eager to get home on time for dinner with his parents and elder brother.

Standing here, working, in the bright light of morning, alone except for the few animals that had made their homes in the trees around him- _here_- he felt closer to his ancestors. He had dedicated his life to them, and around all the memories of his childhood, he was content.

"Sasuke!"

He had known, for a little while now, that he wasn't exactly alone- but he'd been interested to find out when his teammate would make her presence known.

How did she know he was back in Konoha?

"Sasuke!"

Throwing down his paint roller on the tray below him, Sasuke jumped off the ladder, landing neatly on his feet.

Sakura.

She was standing on the deserted road that led up towards the imposing gates of the compound, dressed simply in white, her thick hair pulled up in a high ponytail. It was strange for him to see her taking an interest in the things she had learned to scorn during their genin days. Then she had been so tired of being a liability, she had gotten rid of all the fripperies she kept to look more feminine.

Now, she couldn't hide her femininity even in a brown paper bag.

Sasuke smirked.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" She waved at him, before jogging forwards. There was a tied up bandana containing what was most likely a packed breakfast in her hands. Within moments she was standing before him, her cheeks slightly flushed from the fresh air and exercise. "I heard you were back in town at the hospital. I've been looking for you for hours!"

He returned no response, his gaze flickering down to the new accessory glimmering from her left hand. Noticing the direction of his gaze, she turned a deep shade of scarlet. "Oh! That is- well, I- maybe…maybe Sasuke-kun hasn't heard yet but I- that is…"

Her sentence trailed off lamely.

"Che."

He couldn't say he was surprised. The useless loser she was seeing now had always been obsessed with her. It was only a matter of time before he asked her to marry him. The only shocking thing was that she had actually accepted.

How many times could one girl fall in love?

Feeling unreasonably irritated, he spoke. "You're annoying."

She bit her lip, her eyes downcast. "I know you think I'm troublesome, and I know you like to be alone- but, just once, will you please have breakfast with me?"

This was not in her usual style. He recognized that she might stupidly think he had some sort of entitlement to her for a vow she had made before any of them hit puberty…and on those grounds he thought of refusing. But he was hungry, and he wasn't a very good cook- so he nodded at the package in her hands, "What did you bring?"

She beamed. " _Tamogoyaki_!"

She knew she had his seal of approval when the young Uchiha turned and led her into the courtyard. This was her first ever visit to his family home; he wondered fleetingly what she thought of it. If he could have only have known it, Sakura was in awe.

From a middleclass family herself, she was unused to such grandeur (even in its current state of decay). Her family's small three-bedroom apartment couldn't compare to this sprawling estate. It was hard to believe that all this belonged to the young man before her; sometimes, she forgot how wealthy and important Sasuke was because he lived so simply.

The only things she had ever seen him spend a lot of money on were his beloved weapons.

Ever since his return to the Leaf village, she had often wondered what he could possibly have to do all alone. It had hurt her to think he might be lonely, but she could see how foolish that was. Sasuke, unlike any other man she had ever met, thrived on solitude. It was the only way he knew how to live; second nature in fact.

Nothing would make her happier than to be here, in this compound, waiting for him to come home at night with dinner on the stove. To have him pick her up after a late shift at the hospital and walk home together in the moonlight. To be able to lie in bed beside him, comforted by his weight on the mattress beside her. She wanted to be near him, to care for him, to be the name he put down in official papers as his primary contact- his next of kin.

But that would never happen. Not now. She was marrying someone else.

When they finally sat down to breakfast, in a small room towards the back of the first of a series of houses on the estate, the smile was completely gone from her face. Sasuke was surprised that she didn't exclaim at the sight of the beautiful gardens surrounded the open sliding doors. He had thought that she would like it and was disappointed.

"Will you really marry him?"

The question startled her. It was unlike him to make conversation.

"Yes."

"Why?" His dark eyes studied her, seeming to peer almost into her very soul.

Sakura shrugged, busying herself with untying the bandana and removing a black lacquered bento box. "Because he asked me."

"He is a nobody."

"I guess to people like you, I would be a nobody too."

He returned no response, so she handed him a pair of chopsticks and removed the three layers on the box. The first contained steamed rice, the second _asazuki_ pickles and _natto_, the third the promised _tamogoyaki_.

"I would have brought miso soup, but I know you dislike it," she explained, with an apologetic smile.

For the next fifteen minutes, they ate in silence. Sasuke sitting with his back against the _shoji_ doorframe, his gaze fixed firmly on the serenity of the green garden before them; Sakura with her back straight and her legs tucked neatly under her, her gaze fixed firmly on Sasuke.

In the two years since he'd returned to Konoha, she had infrequently been granted one-on-one time with Sasuke. Once teammates, they were now barely acquaintances; in fact, over the past few months, she had been reduced to begging him to spar with her just to feel the warmth of all of his attention.

Today, being in his home, sharing breakfast while the village slept, felt like a farewell present. Once she was married, she could not turn up unexpectedly or beg him to spar with her. She would have a husband then, and that was what husbands were for.

The thought of that was enough to bring tears to her eyes.

"Sasuke?"

He tilted his head sidewise, his jet-black hair glinting almost blue in the morning sunshine.

The words that came spilling out of her mouth the next moment were completely unplanned. In fact, once they had been spoken, she was shocked at her own daring.

"If you would just ask me, I would _still_ do anything for you."

Sakura didn't think she had ever spoken truer words in her life. Yet the silence that followed this confession was so loud, she found herself blabbering just to cover her embarrassment, "What I mean is, Sasuke-kun has been such an important person in my life. I want you to be happy. If- if I get married, and you need me, for anything, I want to be there. I want to- I want to help."

At this point, to her mortification, her throat was tightened painfully and tears were forming at the corner of her eyes. She blinked them away, forcing a smile, "I know you say I'm annoying, but I- I wanted to say that."

For a long while they stayed quiet.

Sakura, mentally kicking herself for getting emotional, had her hands rolled into fists by her side. Both parties had now abandoned their breakfast. Sasuke had turned back to studiously studying the garden, the expression on his face unreadable. "Sasuke. You still…you still don't tell me anything, you know."

It was the first time since that dreadful night he left the village that she had ever mentioned it or even referenced what had passed between them in conversation. At this point her heart was beating furiously, but she wanted answers. "Why do you always stay silent? I've asked you that before, and I've told you before that being alone for me is the same as not being with you. It's true I had no idea what I was offering you as a twelve year-old, but my feelings have never changed. I still-"

"Enough."

The word was spoken in a firm tone, but hardly above a whisper.

Tears were openly rolling down her cheeks at this point, and the sense of desperation she felt was heightened. She had thought he might care for her and be wild with jealousy when she told him about her engagement, but he wasn't. He didn't want her. He never had.

Why was she putting herself back in the stupid, stupid situation?

Sakura jumped to her feet, almost shaking with anger. He didn't want to hear any of this, and she was a fool for throwing herself at his feet again. What the hell was wrong with her? Would she run from here to be comforted by Lee?

She was a horrible human being.

She turned, prepared to run as fast as she could until she was back home, but was stopped by the arresting grip on her wrist.

"Look at me."

She bent her head, not wanting to make eye contact, but he forced her around until her nose was practically grazing his chin. He had seen her look better- her green eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks wet with tears- but Sasuke didn't care. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," she lied, drying her face with the backs of her hands.

His grip on her wrists tightened, "Aren't you? Stop the games Sakura. What did you come here for?"

Sakura swallowed, taken a back by his vigor.

Her skin tingled deliciously beneath his electric touch.

"If you came in search of something, stop being a coward and say it."

There was so much Sakura felt she should say, so many feelings to disclose but she had done that before and where had it gotten her?

Words would not move this man- especially not her words.

And if she did speak about the crazy feelings she had, how would Lee feel?

She had her heart broken too many times to intentionally hurt anybody else.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura shook her head; "I just wanted to share my news with you. I didn't mean to get so carried away talking about old times." She could tell he didn't believe her, but she didn't care. "Well, if I hang around here any longer I'll be late for my shift at the hospital. Sasuke-kun will come to my wedding right? I'll send you…I'll send you an invite."

Then, feeling as though she would suffocate from the strength of the emotions building up within her, the young medic-nin turned and made her escape. The man she left behind had convinced himself of his own indifference, and was left wondering where the simmering rage within him was coming from.

Could the news of her engagement be bothering him that much?

He snorted dismissively.

Like hell.

* * *

"Let me get this straight…you Haruno Sakura, actually had the audacity to invite UCHIHA SASUKE to your wedding to another man?"

Sakura was sitting across from Ino in her studio apartment, a big tub of ice-cream between them, having just sobbed out the whole heart wrenching story to her best friend. Both girls were dressed in pajamas and surrounded by the usual girls night paraphernalia: old movies, chocolate, glossy magazines and sake.

Ino had originally intended on heading to one of Konoha's newest lounges with her friend, but plans changed the moment Sakura opened the door looking like her life was over.

"What else could I have said? He wouldn't talk to me."

"Jeez, Forehead, you're going to have to try a little harder than that to make him jealous. Did you ask him to admire your ring? Did you tell him how much you love Lee-san? Did you do anything at all to make him believe you're still not secretly pining for his attention?"

Sakura opened her mouth, and then shut it promptly.

"Exactly." The blonde leaned back to rest her back against Sakura's mahogany coffee table. "First you show up at his house the minute he's back in town with _breakfast_, then you express your undying devotion and you expect the guy to land in your lap? I don't know what I did to deserve such a brainless git for a friend."

"I didn't want him to find out from anybody else," Sakura mumbled defensively.

"Well if you want him you're going to have to try to stop acting like a lovesick puppy every time he's around you. This isn't healthy!"

She blushed. "I don't act like a lovesick puppy! It's just that…there's so much history between us. And I always feel worried about the stupidest things like whether he's sleeping enough or whether he's been injured and is avoiding coming to the hospital like he usually does. He doesn't have any family so if I don't worry who will?"

"Well, you need to stop and stay firm. When you feel yourself turning to mush remember how he tried to kill you or something."

Automatically she flared up, "That's different! He-"

"Don't bite _my_ head off. You really are a hopeless case, Haruno."

Sakura groaned, covering her face with her hands. "I know, I know, I know but I can't help it. He does something to me."

"Ok, here's something that may help. I heard from Shika-kun that Sasuke had another girl at his apartment last night."

Sakura's heart froze. "Temari?"

"Nope. Someone else."

Ino watched as her friend's face fell, her green eyes welling up with fresh tears. "Inoooo! That doesn't help at all! How is that supposed to help me?"

The blonde laughed and passed her friend what may have been the millionth tissue of the night. "Relax. You really don't expect him to live like a monk do you? I've also heard, in case your interested, that he's wonderful in bed."

"Shikamaru didn't tell you that."

"No. I found out about this from Karin. She was here a few weeks ago on a mission, and I asked her if she'd ever done anything with Sasuke during the Hawk days. She didn't tell me much, but she did say he isn't really as cold as he tries to appear."

While it was true that Sasuke wasn't a monk, hearing about his sexual escapades was hurting her more than Ino could have ever imagined. Still a virgin herself, Sakura hadn't realized her former teammate was that sexually active.

I've always been sitting around waiting for him, she realized, but he has never made me any promises.

What was she waiting for?

Drying her eyes, she shrugged, "It doesn't matter. I'm engaged now, anyway."

The conversation turned to other topics then, but Sakura's mind was elsewhere. The night wore on, and she found that her friend was doing all the talking but she was doing all the drinking. Having been trained to handle her liquor well by Tsundade during her chunnin days, it wasn't until they stood up that Sakura found she was well and truly drunk.

As Ino said her goodbyes, the kunoichi had made a decision. She would be jumping into her new life with both feet. If her connection with Lee wasn't as strong as it should be, there was one way of ensuring the creation of a strong bond. Sasuke had taken all of her heart, her spirit and her mind- now, all she had left to give was the part of herself she had been saving.

Her virginity belonged to her fiancé.

Donning a light jacket, she grabbed a set of keys and slipped out of the apartment and into the night.

* * *

Sasuke hadn't planned on going out, but the _dobe_ had insisted that they 'paint the town red'; it was his first night back in Leaf, didn't he want to let loose and meet some pretty girls? Doing any of those things was the last thing on his mind, but Sasuke complied just to get him off his back.

In the end, he found himself stuck watching his teammate drink copious amounts of alcohol, chat to a few civilian woman, and get involved in a fight between the bartender and a disgruntled customer before finally dragging his drunken friend home.

The young Uchiha heir didn't much relish the role he was currently playing in Konohagakure; it wasn't that he minded being a wingman to his childhood friend or begrudged the time he spent completing senseless missions. No, those things didn't bother him at all these days.

The problem was that Sasuke was getting restless.

The hunger he felt for some real action was just eating away at him. He was the type of shinobi who thrived on the battlefield, and hated being left to sit on the sidelines as a spectator instead of a key player. The feeling of uselessness was not something he was used to.

The night was dark and cold, with menacing gray clouds overhead threatening rain.

He considered heading home and trying to get some sleep, but the idea was abandoned the moment he noticed a shock of pink hair on the street ahead.

What the hell was the girl doing?

She looked ridiculous in a pair of bright yellow pajamas, a lime green jacket and house slippers. Sasuke's eyes narrowed: why the fuck was she stumbling? Had she been poisoned? No- she was…drunk?

Che.

Where the hell was her useless fiancé?

Why did it always fall to his lot to look after teammates who happened to be irresponsible drinkers?

Ordinarily, he would leave her to her own devices, but it was past four in the morning and he didn't think much of her ability to protect herself in her current state. Feeling furious with himself for not being able to walk away, the Uchiha heir flash stepped before her.

Vivid green eyes widened in surprise. "Sasuke-kuuun!"

Then, as though she hadn't a care in the world, the girl threw her arms around his neck in a warm embrace.

Sasuke stiffened.

Damn, she was worse off than he had anticipated.

Just how much had she had to drink?

"What's Sasuke-kun doing here?" She slurred, nuzzling his neck. "Did you follow me? You can tell me if you did. I don't mind." She giggled, "I'm so lucky! Sasuke-kun is so handsome. I bet I'm the only girl in the village you've ever followed, _ne_?"

Then, without waiting for a response, she stood up on tiptoe and kissed his cheek affectionately.

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise.

What the-

"Why is Sasuke-kun so tall?" She slurred, with another giggle. "I have to bend my head all the way back to look at you properly. See?" Reaching her hands out, she grabbed his larger ones, "That made me dizzy! Did you come to walk me home? But I'm not going home."

At that moment, a few things registered in Sasuke's mind.

Number One: They were not alone. He had felt the approach of a person who was attempting to keep their identity undisclosed by standing in the shadows, chakra signal concealed.

Number Two: The woman in his arms was extremely drunk; almost helplessly so. A good man would do right by her and not take advantage. But when had he ever pretended to be a good man?

Number Three: Despite her silly appearance, he had been wondering for a while what Haruno Sakura would do if he finally acted on all the signals she had been giving him since his return to Leaf Country. She was such a livewire; would she remain so in bed? Or would she be soft and submissive under his ruthless assault?

There was really only one way to find out.

Besides, he had allowed the charade of her engagement to go on long enough.

One moment Sakura was rambling drunkenly, telling him how she had heard from Ino that he had been intimate with Karin, asking him what he seen in the redhead and if he thought she was more beautiful than any of the girls in Konoha, and then the next she was being lifted off her feet.

"Sasuke-kun!" the girl gasped, wrapping her legs around his waist instinctively.

They stood like that for a nanosecond, before Sakura heard a slam, and felt her back make contact with a cement wall. Before she could say anything or register what was happening, he had bent his head and pressed his mouth against hers.

His kiss was harsh, merciless like his personality.

She felt warm and soft against him, her body molding into his perfectly. His hands began gliding, down her shoulders, stripping her of her jacket and then slipping beneath her shirt. She trembled deliciously beneath his touch.

He was still in control.

Then, amazingly, she began kissing him back.

The tingles simmering beneath his skin burst into an explosion of lust.

Really, he hadn't expected to enjoy it this much.

Now he wasn't so sure he could ever stop.

Her fingers were exploring, running through his spiky locks of hair, across his broad shoulders, down his arms before resting against his chest. His mouth kept moving, nibbling against her lower lip, persuading her tongue to come out, urging her to gain confidence.

He wasn't prepared for the heat of her response.

A tiny whimper rewarded his efforts, and he all but forgot himself. It was probably too much too soon, but he didn't care. He would have her. She was his. He was tasting her now, pressing his body against hers so that she could feel everything.

She gasped, "Sasuke-kun."

His heat was radiating through her. She couldn't think, everything was moving so fast. Her body ached for him.

When she shifted her hips, grinding against him, his breathing hitched. He couldn't help the blood that was leaving his head, rushing downwards, building an urgency that she would have to take care of

He swore.

This would have to end.

If this continued, his control would snap.

He needn't have worried.

The girl froze.

So she had finally noticed that they had an audience.

"Lee-san!"

The panic, humiliation and hurt in her voice infuriated him. How could she go from writhing in his arms, willing to do his bidding, to worrying about the feelings of the deadlast watching them?

Did she really care for that kind of guy?

In a moment she was pushing him off, trying to fight him off to chase after the back that was now retreating after witnessing her betrayal.

"Get off me!"

Sasuke thought of punishing her a little longer, but then decided against it. After all, his work was done. He watched her tearfully hurry after her fiancée, screaming for him to stop, to talk to her, to let her explain.

She was wasting her time.

Nothing could be done for a guy who would walk away upon finding the woman he planned to marry in a tryst with another man.

No, that wasn't his style.

If Sakura had been his, and he found her with Lee, murder would have been the case.

Che, how pathetic.

**(A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone! Sasuke isn't a very good lover is he? Leave me a comment below, and I will have the next chapter out for you guys as soon as possible! Thanks for reading!)**


	3. Chapter 3

_**CHAPTER TWO**_

"So what do you think we should do? It is imperative that the council come to a decision tonight!"

As if to emphasis his point, Hiashi Hyuga slammed his fist against the hardwood table where the other clan heads had gathered, rattling their glasses of water.

It was the first Monday night of the month and the heads of all the elite families in Konohagakure had gathered to discuss the village's future. Sasuke, as the head and only member of the Uchiha family, was reluctantly in attendance. This was the only place where his role in the village was openly acknowledged, even though the current Hokage was still adamant about keeping him officially at genin status.

That would change tonight, if he could help it.

The issue after all, was who would become the successor of the current Hokage, when Tsunade retired in the fall. Coming to a decision and appearing to be united behind one leader was detrimental to the stability of the country, and their allies had been waiting for news for many months. The ill effects of their slow progress had been felt last month when a group of rogue ninjas had attacked a small town on the fringe of Fire Country.

This was an offense, which would have never taken place had they been more organized and had the council been more capable of agreeing on whether to spend more money on national security.

As a _genin_, Sasuke had been not been included in the select group that was sent out to the township of _Tanchō_ as a relief effort and to protect against further harassment, but as an Uchiha, he had been a witness to the lack of accord between certain parties within the village council.

Himself a victim of the village elders' lack of good decision-making skills, the incident had infuriated him at the time, but he had chosen to remain silent and bid his time.

Tonight was the night.

The other council members were all arguing amongst themselves, and hardly any noticed the young Uchiha heir get to his feet until he was standing in the middle of the room. Somehow, without uttering a word, he was able to command their silence, and as the group simmered down, he finally spoke: "Allow me to say something."

"Most of you have lived your lives, sitting behind desks will others risk their lives for this village. To serve, to protect and to follow out on the decisions you make in this room. Very few of you understand what it means to be on the battlefield, with no idea of what the outcome will be when you go out to face an enemy. Such is the life of a ninja."

His audience was captivated.

They were being granted the opportunity to see a side of him that he so rarely revealed: that of vulnerability.

"My own history," he continued, "is not unknown to you. If there is one thing I am familiar with, it is how poor decisions made by those of you this room can affect not just the current population, but also the generations to come after us. It is with that outlook that I propose Uzumaki Naruto, as the heir to our current Hokage."

Immediately, the room was abuzz.

Everyone had an opinion. He was too young, he was too inexperienced, and he was a ninja whose best use was on the battlefield and not behind the scenes. Did he have the same analytical background that Nara Shikamaru had? Was he as deserving of the title as Hatake Kakashi? Would he understand matters outside of issues relating to war? In short, what could he bring to the table beyond a desire to lead and a strong will?

There were so many questions, and nobody was willing to sit still long enough to hear his responses.

In an instant of frustration, he momentarily considered willing them all into obedience. But, shaking off the idea, he instead bent into a deep bow, his hands resting against his knees, "Please."

The room fell silent once again.

"Consider my proposal."

Then, because he was unsure of how much longer he would be able to restrain himself, Sasuke turned and left the room. Most of them had already decided what they wanted to do next, and he refused to participate in pointless discussion. Tomorrow, they would all participate in a vote, and the new Hokage would be ordained.

Naruto _would_ have to become Hokage.

If they chose anybody else, it would be one of the most difficult things he would have to come to terms with in recent times. The _dobe_, after all, was the best fit for the village. Fire country needed a new leader in order for real change to be made.

It was that desire for change that drove him.

The desire to ensure his brother and his family had not died in vain.

Stepping out into the cool afternoon sunshine, the young Uchiha heir made his way across the street and began the short walk to Konoha Regional hospital. His next stop for the day would be an eye exam, where he would see _her_ again.

She was the only doctor he would ever allow near him.

Everyone had known that, without having to be specifically told.

Still, today's visit would be far from pleasant.

She was no longer engaged because of him.

People were talking about her, and the circumstances around the end of her relationship, because of him.

He knew she was angry.

He knew she felt used.

But that had not been his intention. If there had been some other way, he would have taken that route. To let her continue onwards, making rash decisions would have been reckless. She would have married the guy, unless he took action.

Sakura was exactly the type of woman who would bite of her nose to spite her face, as the saying went.

So he had intervened.

That was all there was to it. And as for gossip: over the years Sasuke had given his village enough material to keep them busy for a lifetime. What was another thing added to that list?

It didn't take him very long to get to the hospital, and when he did, instead of checking in with reception, he turned down an empty corridor (usually reserved for ninjas who were returning from S-rank missions), and took the stairs to the third floor three at a time.

There, in a corner, was a silver plaque, reading: Dr Haruno Sakura.

He knew she wouldn't appreciate him storming into her office, instead of waiting politely in the hall, but he had never been one for ceremony so he let himself in.

She was sitting behind her desk, a pen in her hand, her thick hair pulled up in a tight bun at the top of her head. The piles of papers and files before her were daunting, and when she glanced up, he could see the exhaustion on her pale face.

The minute their eyes locked, it was as though new life was breathed into her.

Launching to her feet, the girl stared him down stonily: "You can't just let yourself into my office. Wait for me outside and then I'll take you to exam room number nine."

She was furious.

He could see it in the rigid set of her shoulders, and in the stormy expression in her emerald green eyes.

Sasuke smirked.

Then, instead of listening to her instructions, he stepped into the room and locked the door behind him. He had only a moments warning before the girl began hurling objects at him- first her pen, then two massive files containing hundreds of papers, followed by a flower pot and half the contents of her steaming coffee cup.

Before she could launch anything else at him, Sasuke flash stepped behind her.

He was fast.

So fast that he had enough time to grab her by the shoulders, forcing her to a stand still.

"Enough."

"Let me go," she growled, but made no attempts to free herself.

Probably because she knew her efforts would be fruitless.

"Not until you calm down."

"If you wanted me calm, you shouldn't have come here!"

"We have an appointment."

"Not anymore. I've already handed in my resignation with the Hokage. I can't be your doctor anymore; it would be inappropriate."

This was news to him.

He whirled her around, his fingers digging into her arms unconsciously.

"_What_?"

Sakura could see she had finally gotten under his skin. "You heard me. I'm done."

"With me?" He took a step closer.

"Yes."

He took another step closer, until his nose was practically touching her forehead. "Why?"

Unnerved, the girl attempted to pull away. "You know why. How can you even ask me that? Look how you're behaving right now. You don't respect me!"

"Respect? Is that what you want from me?"

She was so angry she was shaking. "It would be a nice place to start! You've ruined my life, so the least you can do is show me some common courtesy and not bully me at my workplace!"

"You call this bullying?"

"What would you call it?" she shot back at him, eyes flashing.

His response was not long winded: "Helping."

Sakura scoffed, throwing her head back, "Helping? Me? You can't be serious. You have always done whatever you could do to make my life difficult. Even as…" she looked away from him, the fight seeming to die out of her, "even as children. I really don't understand you."

Almost without realizing it, his hands moved and he lifted her face up so that he could see her eyes. He could see the frustration in her expression, and felt, that perhaps it would be best for all of them if he expressed a little of what he had always known to be right.

"I have never made your life difficult." His words were blunt, matter of fact even. "And I don't think this little tantrum of yours has to do with our doctor, patient relationship so what is it about? Your little ex-boyfriend?"

"Ex-fiancé," she corrected him. "There is a difference, you know."

"Whatever he was to you, it never meant anything."

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you come crying to me as soon as I returned if you didn't want me to end it?"

"Are you crazy? Just because I want to- to reconnect and talk about old times, does not mean I wanted you to interfere in my life! I don't remember asking you to kiss me," she flushed red, and then lowered her voice, as though worried someone would be listening outside the door. "I never asked for that."

"What if it was what I wanted?" His hand was tracing her jawline, moving across her defined cheekbones. "What was it you said to me? _I would still do anything for you_. Wasn't that it?"

She froze, surprised to have her words thrown back at her.

Sasuke leaned his head down, pressing his forehead against hers. He was so close he could smell the light, fruity scent of her shampoo. Everything about her was so delicate, from her build to her emotions where it concerned him. "Do you love me?"

The question was so out of left field that for a moment the girl before him stood, her mouth slightly open, gaping at him. Then, almost unable to believe her own ears, she gasped, "I-I'm sorry?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Well?"

Sakura licked her lips, and for a moment he thought she would lie to him. But to his surprise, her answer was honest: "I always have."

It was all he had needed to hear.

"Then, if I have ruined your life, you are my responsibility."

She was gazing up at him, with wonderment, clearly not understanding what he was trying to communicate to her.

Foolish.

Would she never change?

"I don't want you to ever see that loser again." The expression on his face was serious. "You are involved now."

Green eyes widened with surprise.

If he were anybody else he would have laughed at her.

She looked stunned.

"Are you asking me," she began slowly, as if still trying to digest his words, "to live with you…as your _girlfriend_?"

Sasuke drew away from her, leaning back to rest against her desk, his arms crossed over his chest. Sakura stood before him, feeling like twelve years old again, begging for the boy she loved to acknowledge her.

"If that's what you want to call it."

For a moment all she could do was stare at him, and then she began to ramble.

"This is, unexpected. I don't know what to say to you. Do you even like me? I don't know. What will my parents say? I can't just go and _live_ with you! That would be crazy! Everyone would be so shocked." She pressed her hands to her heated cheeks, turning away from him to pace the room. "I don't know, Sasuke-kun! How can you ask me such a thing so suddenly?"

Sasuke was beginning to lose patience with her.

"Che, you're annoying."

She stopped in her tracks.

He approached her, his hands casually in his pockets. "Let me know what you decide."

Just as he turned from her, she called out after him.

"I'll do it."

It was his turn to stop.

"I'll move in with you."

He could feel a negotiation coming so he didn't move.

"Under one circumstance."

Sasuke smirked.

Really, he had underestimated his opponent.

"I can't just step out of my old life and into yours," she told him, her voice low and serious. "I don't want to hurt anybody unnecessarily by my actions. I'm also renting an apartment, and my lease only ends in six months. So I keep my apartment, and we keep this a secret for the next six months to keep up appearances."

He titled his head to one side, surveying her. "I'm not interested in keeping up appearances."

"For me." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, shrugging, "It's a small thing to ask, and you get what you want. If what you want is….is me."

She sounded as though she doubted his intentions.

"Fine."

Agreeing with her stipulation was not part of the plan, but he didn't really care if people knew she was his officially or not. The time for that would come. Right now, it was just important to keep her close and away from the troublesome men of Konoha.

Sakura had her head bent, a curtain of thick pale pink hair hiding her face from him. But when he agreed, she glanced up and he saw her lips twitch into a small, satisfied smile. "I'll meet you at your place tonight after work. I may be late because I'll need to bring a few things with me."

It was Monday, and he knew from his familiarity with her schedule that she would only be finished with work at eleven o'clock at night.

The last thing he wanted was for her to be roaming the streets at that hour, and be obliged to wait up for her to get her settled in.

"No. I'll meet you here when you're finished. You'll need some help bringing your things. Women usually do."

Then, considering the conversation closed, the young Uchiha heir unlocked the door and left the room. He heard her call out after him about his medical, and he smirked.

Didn't she realize he had never had any intention of getting examined?

* * *

Sakura could hardly concentrate on work that evening.

Her patients noticed a difference in her, and remarked that she must be reacting badly to her breakup with her fiancé. Truth be told, Lee was the last thing on her mind. She knew that and it made her feel horrible.

She had broken his heart after all.

But how could any girl think of Lee when there was Sasuke?

She had seen a completely different side of him that afternoon. He had been as arrogant as ever, bossing her around in her own office, but he had been open and he had expressed a desire to be with her- _exclusively_.

But to what end?

She knew he wasn't in love with her.

In fact, she highly doubted Sasuke believe in love at all.

He just wasn't that kind of person.

He didn't have a romantic bone in his body.

So what was the purpose of having her live with him? And why had he chosen her? There were so many women to choose from, and if the rumors were to be believed, he certainly had no shortage of sexual partners.

But he wanted her.

The idea of it made her feel giddy.

Sakura was nervous and on edge when her shift finally came to an end. In the changing room, as she took of her scrubs she stood before the mirror and studying her reflection. The simple white cotton panties and bra she were had been selected for convenience and comfort rather than allure.

What would Sasuke think?

Would he try anything funny with her?

She knew she wasn't unattractive. Years of working as a kunoichi had left her with long, toned legs and she believed her body had been admired by a lot of her coworkers. Several had attempted to hook her up with prospective partners over the years, but nobody had ever compared to the one man who had become something a fixture in her life.

Sighing, Sakura turned away from the mirror and slipped into the red polka dot dress she had worn to work that morning, sliding her feet into the black ballet flats she had purchased with Ino a few weeks back. The outfit made her look young and childlike, a fact that she now felt self conscious about.

Reaching into her purse, Sakura pulled out a tube of lip-gloss and a brush. Smearing on little bit of the gloss, she smacked her lips together to spread it evenly and then began brushed her hair out of the conservative style she had pulled it into that morning.

Satisfied with her presentation, Sakura finally grabbed her bags and walked out of the room to say her goodbyes to her coworkers and Ayumi, the front desk receptionist.

Stepping out into the night, the kunoichi looked around for the man who had said he would meet her.

True to his word, and as on time as ever, Sasuke stood across the street, a dark silhouette under the streetlight above. Without exchanging any greetings, the Uchiha heir turned and led the way back to her apartment.

Sakura watched him as they walked.

It was hard to think of herself as his girlfriend. Isn't that what he had said she would become?

As a girl, she had always imagined that if they began dating Sasuke would be as in love with her as she had always been with him. In her imaginations, he would kiss her frequently, compliment her on what she wore, and they would shop for fripperies for their new home together.

The reality of the situation was a stark contrast.

The man before her was as enigmatic as always. He hadn't offered any explanations for his strange request, and she was scared of what his answers might be.

Before long, Sakura found that they had reached the small brick apartment building where she lived. Sasuke was looking at her expectantly, so murmuring an apology for being so listless; she reached into her purse and drew out her key to let them in.

Sasuke followed her in, and she led the way up a series of flights to apartment 6B.

Opening the door with her card lock, she held the door open, inviting him in.

She found herself wishing she had cleaned up that morning as he walked in. a neat freak like him would hardly approve of her breakfast dishes being pilled up in the sink, clothes and magazines strewn across the small unmade bed in the corner of her studio apartment.

"I'll just grab some of my clothes. Umm, make yourself comfortable."

Then she stepped into the adjoining bathroom. Pulling out a duffel bag from the cabinet beneath the sink, she began throwing things into her overnight pack arbitrarily.

A toothbrush, toothpaste, a few bobby pins, her favorite fluffy pink towel, deodorant, sanitary pads, and her favorite shampoo all went into the bag.

When she returned, she found Sasuke staring out the window, deep in thought.

"I'm sorry if I'm taking too long." She shuffled over to the large chest beside her closet, and threw in a change of underwear, a clean bra, and a black skirt and white blouse to wear to work in the morning. "There, all done. We can go now."

"Naruto lives close to you."

It was more of a remark than a question, but she responded: "Yes, he does. Just down the street actually."

If Sasuke had spoken for a reason, he did not share that reason with her.

Instead, he grabbed her duffel bag, ignoring her protests and walked out.

The walk to the Uchiha compound took significantly longer than she had anticipated. She had spent a good deal of chakra at the hospital that day, and it was taking all of her strength to fight back drowsiness as they walked.

So, in an effort to stay awake, she began conversation. "Do you cook?"

At first she thought he wouldn't respond, but to her surprise he said: "Yes."

"What do you cook?"

"Food."

She scowled at his back, and sensing her disapproval, he amended: "Simple dishes."

Sakura could tell that was the most she was going to get out of him on that subject, so she sighed, wrapping her arms around herself: "It's a little chilly tonight isn't it, Sasuke-kun."

He didn't reply.

Giving up on conversing with her silent teammate, she followed behind him obediently until they came to the stone gates that led into the compound. In the dark she couldn't see very far, but it was obvious that Sasuke was still working on the property.

He led her down a gravel path, and then they came to the front of the main house.

This was where Sasuke lived.

All alone on this gigantic estate.

She wondered if he ever felt lonely.

Letting her into the house, the young Uchiha heir motioned around him. "All the bedrooms in the house are not livable except mine. You will sleep there with me."

Then, as if there was nothing else to discuss, he took the stairs and left her standing alone in the hall.

Realizing that it was silly to feel shy about their arrangement now, Sakura followed him upstairs, trying hard not to stare too much around her.

This was where Sasuke-kun had grown up.

These rooms had been filled with his family once: a mother, a father, and a brother. Did they meet on this landing, to wish each other every night before bed? Had they all been happy?

There was so much about his life that she would never know.

Sasuke's bedroom was large, and sparsely furnished. There was a futon in the middle of the room, and a large closet on the other end. Nothing was lying around; the hardwood floors were polished to perfection.

Dropping her duffel bag in the corner, Sasuke pointed to a small door to their right.

"That's the bathroom." Then, without warning he pulled his shirt off and announced his intention to take a shower.

Sakura stared after him opened mouthed.

This was going to take some getting used to.

Thankfully, when he returned he was dressed in loose pants and a white shirt so she had no occasion to blush.

"Sasuke-kun."

"Aa."

"I've forgotten to bring something to sleep in. Do you think I could borrow something of yours?"

Sakura waited awkwardly as he grabbed a folded t-shirt from the large closet where he kept his things. Thanking him for quietly, she slipped into the bathroom and took a longer shower than usual, hoping he would be asleep by the time she returned.

Stepping back into the room, dressed only in his t-shirt and a pair of underwear, she was relived to find the lights switched off, with her old teammate lying in bed, his back turned to her.

Moving as quietly as she could, the kunoichi lifted up the covers and slid into bed. At first she tried to take as little space up as possible, keeping herself almost at the end of the futon.

But then, realizing that the man beside her would have made a move long ago if he were so inclined, she relaxed a little and turned towards him.

How many other women had been in bed like this with him before her, she wondered, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.

Had he been attracted to them?

Was he not attracted to her?

It was ridiculous to be so fearful of having him make a move, and yet feel disheartened when he didn't.

She was just about to turn away, and finally get some rest when he spoke.

"Are you disappointed?"

Sakura blushed, and was glad he couldn't see her expression. "Disappointed? No, why should I be."

She felt the mattress shift under her as he moved until he was above her, one hand at either side. Her heartbeat began to race, and she was suddenly aware of what could happen between them.

Sakura wanted to be close to him, and yet was terrified of being just another name on the list of woman who had shared their bodies with him.

More importantly, she was terrified of having her heart broken.

But all considerations of what could happen swept from her mind as he leaned down, pressing his mouth against hers. His kiss was slow, spreading a low heat through her body. Her hands moved as she responded, tugging at the hair on the nape of his neck.

She was so caught up, she didn't realize he was trying to pull away until he gently grabbed her hands and pried them off.

"Goodnight."

Then, without exchanging another word with her, he withdrew, leaving her to stare up at the ceiling until her heart rate returned to normal. She knew that in taking her relationship with Sasuke to the next level she was playing with fire, but she had not anticipated the rush of affection she would feel for the man beside her when the amount of physicality between them existed.

Sakura did not know what the future would hold, but she hoped he would not hurt her.

**(A/N: Finally, another chapter! This one was pretty long to make up for the lack of updates. Enjoy!)**


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